Title: Averting catastrophic climate change: confronting wealth

Authors: Victoria Hurth, Peter Wells

Addresses: School of Geography, Archaeology and Earth Resources and School of Business and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK. ' Centre for Automotive Industry Research and ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK

Abstract: In the context of potential catastrophic climate change, it is vital that fundamental drivers of carbon dioxide emissions are pinpointed and addressed. One of the key drivers of these emissions is shown to be increased economic wealth. This paper highlights that links between wealth and carbon dioxide must be addressed, and that although highly debated, the links are not well considered, especially at the detailed level of what drives consumption preferences of the global wealthy. In the context of increasing wealth concentration and poverty gaps, this subject is central to issues of social justice as well as environmental integrity.

Keywords: economic wealth; climate change; social justice; consumption; carbon dioxide emissions; affluence; identity; consumer behaviour; socio-cultural; environmental integrity; sustainable development; sustainability; moral responsibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2007.016058

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2007 Vol.2 No.1, pp.63 - 78

Published online: 03 Dec 2007 *

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